1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound image processing apparatus and a medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In ultrasound diagnosis, beating of a heart and movement of a fetus can be obtained as ultrasound images with simple operation of applying an ultrasound probe on body surface. Ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatuses used for performing such ultrasound diagnosis are known. An ultrasound image is obtained by an ultrasound probe sending ultrasound waves inside a subject, the ultrasound probe receiving reflected ultrasound waves and performing various processes to the received signals.
In an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, real time inside image of a living body can be displayed during examination by continuously displaying one frame of ultrasound image data one after another in chronological order, each frame of ultrasound image data being generated by ultrasound waves being sent and received. Further, video data (cine video data) formed of a plurality of frames of ultrasound image data can be stored, and such data can be replayed after examination.
For example, when making a diagnosis on mammary gland, a reader (a technician or a physician) may replay the cine video data which is obtained by an examiner (a technician or a physician) with an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus to read the images (video) after examination. In such case, the examiner checks the time until an abnormal candidate is shown since the start of examination when registering the data and tells the reader about the time.
As a method to eliminate images unnecessary for making diagnosis and to efficiently search for an images when reading the data after examination, there is known a method provided in an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus where, with respect to replaying a plurality of frames of ultrasound image data, at least one of start and end of ultrasound image data recording is controlled with a predetermined event which is registered in advance being the trigger, the predetermined event is recorded as an attachment information to the ultrasound image data and desired ultrasound image data is searched for on the basis of the attachment information (see JP 2006-141997). The predetermined event is a button operation such as image adjustment operation, change in brightness for a threshold or more between frames when generating a contrast image, etc.
Further, there is known an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus in which ultrasound image data in chronological order is collected, an extraction condition for extracting a predetermined ultrasound image data is stored, ultrasound image data corresponding to the time period when two or more setting items satisfy the extraction condition is extracted (see JP 2014-176430). The extraction condition is an event in connection with an operation, an image quality parameter, collection condition (frame rate, scan range, raw data), a diagnostic condition (Exam Type), etc.
In the case where an examiner orally tells a reader about an abnormal candidate spot, the examiner has to visually recognize the abnormal candidate spot, record a plurality of continuous frames of ultrasound image data so as to include the abnormal candidate spot and remember the time until the abnormal candidate spot is shown since start of image data recording. Thus, a great burden is put on the examiner. In the case where ultrasound image data is searched for in association with exist or non-exist of a predetermined event which is registered in advance or in the case where the extraction condition for extracting a predetermined ultrasound image data is stored and the ultrasound image data corresponding to the time period when the extraction condition is satisfied is extracted, the predetermined event which is registered in advance and the extraction condition may not necessarily match the ultrasound image data in which the abnormal candidate spot exits.